


Marble Soda

by MiniNephthys



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-05-01 00:46:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5185793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sans tries to get Gaster to get some rest.  It's definitely not a date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Marble Soda

The first thing one might notice about Gaster, apart from the obvious things like ‘skeleton’, is that he tends to gesture wildly, particularly when he’s talking about science. He controls himself better around dangerous lab equipment, but otherwise, he talks with his hands.

This is one of many traits that Sans finds really, really cute about him.

It’s under the same umbrella as how he gets so intent on a project that he loses track of time and the need to sleep, until it’s done and he ends up dozing on the nearest chair. Or how he’s normally a bit shy, but opens up when it comes to discussing the experiments they’re doing, even when he’s speaking to strangers. Or how he pays attention to each of his assistants, remembers their birthdays and asks about their home life. If one of his assistants looks too tired, he shoos them away, citing that sleepy scientists are a danger around lab equipment and could injure themselves, and tells them to go home and get some rest and relaxation.

This advice never seems to apply to him.

“He’s passed out in the lab two nights in a row now,” Sans explains to Papyrus. “He’s working himself to the bone.”

Papyrus, sensing the seriousness of the situation, only groans a little.

“I tell him to go home and sleep, and all, but he never listens to me.” There’s a frown on Sans’ face. “What else can I do?”

“Hm... This is troubling...” Papyrus snaps his fingers. “You should invite him over, for dinner and a movie! And then, when he’s already lured in by your hospitality, invite him to sleep over! There’s no way he could say no to that.”

That sounds... actually likely to work, which is more that can be said for most of Sans’ plans to get Gaster out of the labs. (Fake, plastic cockroaches only work on people who are afraid of cockroaches.) “Thanks, bro. You have the best ideas.”

“I do, don’t I? Nyeh heh heh!”

* * *

The only problem with the ‘invite Gaster over for what is absolutely a way to get him to get some sleep and definitely not a date’ plan is the delivery. Sans waits until most of the other assistants have already gone home, and then approaches Gaster.

“Hey, doc.”

Gaster looks up from the papers he’d been flipping through. “Hello, Sans. Can I help you with something?”

“Well, actually...” ‘It’s not time to be nervous, Sans, so quit shuffling your feet and just say it,’ he thinks. “Would you like to come over to my place for dinner?”

Gaster blinks, and slowly puts the papers down on his desk. “You’re inviting me? Tonight?”

“Yeah, uh... Not if you don’t want to, but I thought...” This is not the way Sans pictured inviting him over in his head. That had been way less awkward.

“I would love to.” Gaster smiles at him, and Sans feels all the tension leave his bones in favor of a warm glow. “Just allow me to finish up some paperwork, and then I’ll be right with you.”

Sans nods, leaves Gaster’s office, and wonders what he’s gotten himself into.

He knows he has a crush. It’s obvious to himself, and probably even more obvious to everyone else who doesn’t have their nose in their experiments nearly every second of the day. He also knows it’s hopeless and inappropriate in the workplace besides.

It’s not a date. He’s just trying to get Gaster some rest. That’s all.

* * *

The first words Papyrus says to Gaster are, “You must be my brother’s friend! Boss. I mean friendboss.”

Gaster chuckles, and Sans feels embarrassment heating up his face. “Why not both? You must be Papyrus. Pleasure to finally meet you.”

The house has been cleaned up a little in preparation for Gaster’s visit, but not too much. There is no longer a sock lying on the floor - Papyrus’ constant scolding and sticky notes are one thing, having Gaster see that kind of mess is another. His own office is a bit of a mess, but at least it doesn’t have socks in it.

“You have a lovely home,” says Gaster. “Very cozy.” He sounds genuine about it. Gaster practically always sounds genuine.

Dinner is take-out from Grillby’s. It may not be personal, but it’s more edible than either of their cooking, and if Sans is doing this for Gaster’s health then he definitely doesn’t want to inflict him with stomach problems in the process. Gaster doesn’t seem to mind, anyway.

After dinner, Papyrus says, “I’ll leave you two alone while you watch your movie!” and disappears into his room with all the subtlety of... of... something...

He can’t even think of a bad joke, he’s too embarrassed right now.

“A movie?” Gaster asks.

“Meant to include that in the invitation...” He’d just been nervous and forgotten about that part. “I’ve got plenty of old B-movies. Want to take a look?”

“I trust your taste,” says Gaster, with a small smile. “Whatever you choose will be fine.”

Sans chuckles, already going to rummage through his movie collection. “That’s a lot of power you’re giving me, doc.”

“Gaster,” he says. Sans freezes up. “We’re off the clock, and we’re friends, so - Gaster.”

“...Gaster.”

Snowdin is always a little chilly. That’s reason enough to have a blanket on the couch. They don’t have that many blankets, so that’s reason enough for Sans and Gaster to share a blanket while they’re watching poorly-acted aliens shoot lasers at poorly-acted humans

Gaster spends the first part of the movie criticizing the errors in science in the movie. Later in the movie, he goes quieter, and by the climax he’s yawning.

“Hey.” Sans nudges him. “You falling asleep?”

“Not at all,” says Gaster, with another yawn. “After this... I’ll be headed right back to the lab...”

Sans isn’t entirely surprised when five minutes later, Gaster is asleep with his head on Sans’ shoulder.

What he is, is afraid to move.

He doubts he’ll ever be in a position like this again. If Gaster woke up, he’d definitely be embarrassed, or something, and likely he’ll never have him over at his house again to begin with, so... he turns off the movie, and tries to stay very still.

A Sans who is staying very still gets sleepy very quickly, and though he’d like to study the feeling of Gaster next to him so he can remember it forever, it’s not long before he drifts off, too.

When he stirs the next morning, Gaster is still asleep next to him. They have an additional blanket on top of them: Sans assumes Papyrus must have given it to them sometime during the night. It’s warm, but not as warm as the feeling of a person near him.

When Sans stirs, the movement causes Gaster to slowly wake up. He blinks sleep from his eyes and asks, “Oh, did I keep you here all night? It can’t have been comfortable.”

“It’s fine,” says Sans. “I sleep here all the time.” His bed isn’t a whole lot better, honestly.

“If you insist.” Gaster stretches, pulling away from Sans (much to Sans’ regret). “That was a good rest - I should be getting back to work.”

“Can’t you at least stay for breakfast?” Sans asks, without thinking about it.

Gaster gives him another small smile, the kind that makes him realize how deep a hole he’s dug himself into. “...Well. If you insist, Sans.”

Sans isn’t very good at cooking, but for Gaster, he’ll at least try to make scrambled eggs. They turn out just fine, to Papyrus’ surprise. The three of them chat, mostly Papyrus and Gaster animatedly discussing their love for puzzles and Sans watching his two favorite people have a good time.

When Gaster is finally done with his meal, he says, “We should do this again.” After Sans’ stunned moment of silence, he adds, “Maybe you’d like to come to my house this time?”

“Y-yeah. I’d like that... Gaster.”


End file.
